Cody Allen among locals prepping for MLB postseason

Hannah Foslien / Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Boone High School product Cody Allen of the Cleveland Indians delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning of the game on September 9, 2016 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 5-4. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Boone High School product Cody Allen of the Cleveland Indians delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning of the game on September 9, 2016 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Indians defeated the Twins 5-4. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Cornerstone Charter Academy softball players Ali DiBlasio, Maya Amm and Sarah Goldsmith talk making school history and how a challenging schedule helped prepare them for the postseason. CCA plays in a state semifinal Monday in Vero Beach. (Video by J.C. Carnahan)

Cornerstone Charter Academy softball players Ali DiBlasio, Maya Amm and Sarah Goldsmith talk making school history and how a challenging schedule helped prepare them for the postseason. CCA plays in a state semifinal Monday in Vero Beach. (Video by J.C. Carnahan)

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Cornerstone Charter Academy softball players Ali DiBlasio, Maya Amm and Sarah Goldsmith talk making school history and how a challenging schedule helped prepare them for the postseason. CCA plays in a state semifinal Monday in Vero Beach. (Video by J.C. Carnahan)

Cornerstone Charter Academy softball players Ali DiBlasio, Maya Amm and Sarah Goldsmith talk making school history and how a challenging schedule helped prepare them for the postseason. CCA plays in a state semifinal Monday in Vero Beach. (Video by J.C. Carnahan)

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In a somewhat unusual arrangement, Mark Brunell will start his new local TV sports anchor gig on June 1 but will also continue in his role as head football coach at the private Episcopal School of Jacksonville.

In a somewhat unusual arrangement, Mark Brunell will start his new local TV sports anchor gig on June 1 but will also continue in his role as head football coach at the private Episcopal School of Jacksonville.

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The new national anthem policy requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance but gives them the option of staying in the locker room.

The new national anthem policy requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance but gives them the option of staying in the locker room.

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Dr. Phillips High Baseball team celebrates after winning the Dr. Phillips at Lake Mary High School Regional Final baseball game on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

Dr. Phillips High Baseball team celebrates after winning the Dr. Phillips at Lake Mary High School Regional Final baseball game on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

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Dr. Phillips players Cort Roedig and William Sullivan talk about rain delays, beating Boone in the region semis, and helping the Panthers reach the region finals for first time since 2011. (Video by J..C. Carnahan)

Dr. Phillips players Cort Roedig and William Sullivan talk about rain delays, beating Boone in the region semis, and helping the Panthers reach the region finals for first time since 2011. (Video by J..C. Carnahan)

The Indians lost a wild card game to the Tampa Bay Rays in their last playoff appearance three years ago.

Catcher Ryan Hanigan of Rollins College is on the 25-man roster with the playoff-bound Boston Red Sox while the New York Mets and pitcher Jacob deGrom, also from Stetson, hold a slim lead for the top wild card spot in the National League.

Boone coach Pete Post was in Cleveland when Allen pitched in his first pro game. He’s attended a homestand each year ever since and says Allen has remained level-headed despite all of his successes on the mound.

“Even here at Boone when he was starting to get some success, he was always a grounded person. That’s the one thing I tell him I’m most proud of when I go up to see him,” said Post, who enters his 23rd season at Boone this spring. “The fans up there love him and he always goes out of his way to help other people.”

Allen underwent Tommy John surgery following his freshman season at UCF and was drafted for the second time by Cleveland in the 23rd round out of North Carolina’s High Point University.

He currently holds a 17-16 career record with 90 saves, a 2.64 earned run average and 388 strikeouts in 303.1 innings pitched through five seasons.

Allen joins a list of former Boone players to have suited up at the major league level including Joe Oliver (1989-01), Ron Karkovice (1986-97), Paul Wilson (1996-05), Mike Maroth (2002-07) and Tom Dixon (1977-83).

Allen’s call-up to Cleveland came just months after impressing coaches while filling in during a split-squad spring training game in Arizona.

“He was nervous in that first game,” Post remembers with a laugh. “I remember him telling me how it seemed like the catcher was 150 feet away when I asked him about hitting the backstop on his first pitch.”

Luckily for Allen, and baseball fans in Cleveland, he’s clearly found his comfort zone all these years later.